Skirt.



No. 735,023L PATENTED JULY 28, 1903. E. A. 0. WHITE.

SKIRT.

APPLIUATION FILED OUTJk 190% N0 MODEL.

a e ceases.

UNITED STATES Patented July 28, 1962.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELIZABETH A. 0. WHITE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE ROYAL PATTERN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SKIRT.

SIPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,023, dated July 28, 1903.

Application filed October 9,1902.

To to whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ELIZABETH A.O.WHITE, of the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State ofNew York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Skirts, which invention is fully set forth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to produce a skirt for ladies wear which shall have a perfect and artistic set and be of light weight, rendering unnecessary the use of other garments heretofore used to obtain a satisfactory set.

The invention will first be described in detail and then set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure '1 shows in perspective a skirt embodying my invention, a portion of the flounce being shown broken away in order to show the lining-flounce, hereinafter described. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, enlarged, taken through Fig. 1 at the line 50 00. Fig. 3 is a view in plan of the lining-flounce, hereinafter described, detached from the skirt in order to more clearly illustrate the manner of making the same.

In said figures the number 1 indicates the body of the skirt, at the bottom of which is secured a flounce 2 of the variety known as a circular flounce. Myinvention consists in providing this flounce with an inner or lining flounce 5, composed of some resilient or springy stiffening material, and in providing at the bottom of the flounce 2 one orv more ruiiies 3 4, (or equivalent plaitings or gathers,) so as to form a flexible flaring portion at the bottom of the flounce. The lining-flounce 5 may be made from haircloth or any equivalent resilient material, such as crinoline, canvas, or featherbone. I prefer to employ haircloth by reason of its greater resiliency; but where this material is named herein I intend to include the equivalents thereof. I prefer to make the lining-flounce 5, as shown in Fig. 3, out of several segmental sections of haircloth, which are biased at the ends and secured together, end to end, by means of binding-tape a to form a liningiiounce of substantially circular shape, the

Serial No. 126,549. (No model.)

hair of the haircloth. running horizontally or concentrically around the flounce and not up and down. This lining-flounce may be sewed in place at top and bottom inside the flounce 2, as indicated at the points 6 7, and may be covered on the inside with a covering 8 of any light material.

By providing the flounce of a skirt with a lining of the character above described and providinga flexible flaring portion atthe bottom thereof the following advantages are secured: First, a beautiful and artistic lily shape isgiven to the skirt, and this will remain in any position the wearer may assume, owing to the resiliency of the lining-flounce; second, all other linings heretofore used to give body to a skirt, as well as petticoats or other garments worn for the same purpose, may be dispensed with, thus taking a great weight off the limbs of the wearer and tending to her comfort, and yet the style, shape, and graceful appearance ofthe outer garment will be preserved; third, no matter how long the skirt may be in use it will retain its shape, as the lining-flounce keeps the skirt away from the limbs and the flexible flaring portion at the bottom gives freedom to the feet in walking and prevents the bottom of the flounce 2 from becoming worn from contact with the shoes; fourth, the li hing-flounce 5, of resilient material, tends to hold the skirt down in its proper place and to give it stability, adding greatly to the comfort of the wearer in windyweather; fifth, the invention is applicable to any skirt, no matter how light or unsubstantial may be the material of which it is composed.

It will of course be understood that the invention is applicable to either outer skirts or underskirts and that the shape of the flounce 2 maybe modified as practice shall dictate, the essence of the invention consisting in providing the flounce with a lining of some resilient material and with a flexible flaring portion at'the bottom.

Having thus fully described inyinvention, I claim- 7 1. The hereinbefore-described skirt, the same comprising a body provided with a circular flounce havinga lining-flounce of resilient stiffening material, and also provided a flexible flaring portion at the bottom of said with a flexible flaring portion below said flounce; as described. i fiounce, as described. I I 4. The hereinbeforedescribed lining- 15 2. The hereinbefore described skirt, the flounce for skirts, composed of segmental sec- 5 same comprising a body provided with a lintions of haircloth secured together, end to ing-fiounce composed of segmental sections end, to form a flounce of substantially cirof haircloth, secured together, end to end, to cular shape.

form a flounce of substantially circular shape.

3. The hereinbefore-described skirt, the ELIZABE'IH H 10 same comprisingabody; aflounce; alining- \Vitnesses:

fiounce composed of segmental sections of l JOSEPH H. WHITE,

haircloth secured together end to end; and l J. C. GRISWOLD. 

